also at this time of year its is exam season
in england they start in may and end at the end of july
so some of us younger 1's r hard revising and sitting exams

I think advertisement is the real key to get more people involved. A big banner on the home page would be the best thing to do.

Anyway, I would still like to see a fantasy challenge, simply because of it's open-endness, just like this current challenge is.

Yeah a fantasy challange might put a little more need for estethic beauty.(I love reading fantasy so pleaaase, a fantasy challange would be tremendous!) :)

And I guess commercial for Simply Maya on SM should be free.

I honestly dont see the problem i using 3rd party programs and plugins.
It means that there is a larger amount of people that can enter and there just tools to help out.
I agree with having the base program as MAYA and scince the forums are dead it shouldn't be a problem for Lightwave and 3DS. Stuff like Z Brush might be a bit unfair for people without it but there are lots of free alternatives.

If I was better at maya I would definately join in these competitions not just for the prize but for the practicing

I was also looking at 3dm3.com and they have some pretty cool challenge ideas, like best looking cg girl.. fantasy land incorporating realistic things into the fantasy...

You will never kmow whow much you can learn from entering a challenge. There have been a few people completely new at maya that have entered a past comp and finnished with really impressive results. There is always help available, even in a comp. I have helped out a few people during the course of a challenge, and learned a great deal in the process myself.

I started with Maya after using XSI 4 for a little while, I learned more from both apps by doing challenges. Speed Challenges are the best as you are under so much pressure to get it right first time. I used to enter the 3D Total Speed Challenges, they worked well and always had a great turnout.

Challenges are a great way to learn, and saying that I am always disappointed that people are only interested in doing a challenge when there is a prize up for grabs. The prize should be that fact that you completed it, did you best and learned from it. Most people here want to get into the industry? So learning is more important than the prize, that new knowledge is where the true joy exists.

13 entrys curtanly better than the last one (what was it 4).

do you think starting another one so soon is the right thing to do here mike ???

the common thinking on the comps in this thread is that they need advertizment and giving it just 3/4 days is a very short time.

don`t get me wrong I love the challenges and will be entering, but you keep asking us how to help and this solution keeps coming up.

I think putting it off alittle say 2 weeks. this will give us a little break if we need it and time to start to get the word out on the new challenage. CGtalk gives 3 weeks notice usally via email but their challenages last forever so not saying you need that much time as there is a danger of people starting early. just let them know theres something coming.

also is the site merge happening any time soon if so ask there members into our forum (soz only look at the maya one)

again just my ideas - you asked for them

Tweety, I'm with you on that, As its March 7th, why not wait till April, maybe a banner can be put on the main site (seen the Anouncement but its if people will click it to look)

yeah, when I originally looked, there were only 4 and I was a little frustrated. I'm glad to see that so many came in!

If the community would prefer a break before the next comp, we can definitely do that.

I personally dont think that a break is neccesary, I believe that many of the contestants finished their work some time ago becouse we had two months to finish the work.

And I dont start working on a new challange as soon it starts, I usually think about what I will make etc.

well I know arran and goksimaster both worked till the last day and they both were early starters aswell, but anyway its more to get the word out about the comp. the time off would be a added bonus for some .(:zzz: needed)

just wondering how many did not finnish/enter anything ? - they are the ones we need to hear from..

I was a early starter also, and I worked till the last day aswell. I usually don't submit till the last day anyway.

so mike

are we holding off on the challenages or steaming ahead with a new one ???

I would enter the challenges but my attention span is very low, and its hard for me to actually finish anything unless its for school.

For a challenge idea how about weapons? of any type. or a medeival theme?